I Tamed the Monstrous Prince - Chapter 69
Chapter 69
His handwriting, a seemingly simple thing, held so much meaning. It was proof that Cesar, despite being cursed, was a prince of extraordinary lineage. Not that it wasn’t already a fact, but seeing it manifested in such a tangible way… it made it all the more poignant. It hurt because I realized he shouldn’t be treated this way. Perhaps, without even realizing it, I too had underestimated him. He was still the heir to the empire, a noble prince, and that fact remained unchanged, regardless of the circumstances.
“Cesar.” Unable to contain myself, I embraced him. Held in my arms, Cesar simply smiled, his eyes clear and innocent. I made a firm resolution. No matter what, I would earn the Empress’s approval, if it meant making Cesar’s life easier. A question suddenly arose. “What exactly is a curse?”
“Curse?” Cesar, nestled against me, lifted his head. His slightly hunched back and deformed, reptilian fingers came into view. It was too inhuman to be dismissed as a mere illness. A curse. What a dreadful, terrifying word. A malicious act, wishing misfortune upon another. It was rare, yet the word fit Cesar’s situation perfectly. Ordinary people never had to contemplate such things. A curse upon a noble prince? Who would even imagine such a thing?
“The Mad Dragon’s curse….” Before our marriage, the situation had been so sudden and overwhelming that I’d only vaguely considered it. I hadn’t had the time to think about why Cesar was cursed, what kind of curse it was, or how it worked. All I knew was that the curse afflicting Cesar was said to have been cast by the Mad Dragon who had tried to destroy the world centuries ago.
It was part of the founding myth of the Asteria Empire: the Mad Dragon, Tieghrosh, rampaged, and the empire’s first king, Archangel the Majestic, vanquished it. Defeated, the dragon cursed the royal lineage. The curse was said to have been passed down through generations, but even that was just an old wives’ tale.
“It’s been hundreds of years since that wretched dragon died.” If Cesar had slain Tieghrosh himself, perhaps the dragon’s vengeful wrath would make sense. But that wasn’t the case. This all happened long before Cesar was even born. The thought of a grudge lasting centuries was almost comical. The more I thought about it, the more infuriating the dragon seemed. If Cesar had done something to deserve the curse, it would be one thing, but this… “What a powerful grudge, to last all this time.”
I didn’t even know if dragons were real. I’d certainly never met anyone who had seen one. The story was just a founding myth, full of the usual fantastical elements. What did the first king and a dragon have to do with anything? Myths were just myths, after all.
“That nasty dragon.”
I found myself cursing Tieghrosh. He deserved the title “Mad Dragon,” clinging to an ancient grudge like this. His tenacity was worse than iron, like a dragon’s sinew. I’d never tasted dragon meat, but I imagined it would be too tough to chew, just like that stubborn, wicked beast.
“Hmm?” My outburst seemed to unsettle Cesar. He tugged at my sleeve, a childish gesture that sent another pang through my heart. “It’s nothing,” I said, gently stroking his hair. I picked up a children’s book Delfina had prepared. Every child in the empire probably read it, so Cesar might recognize it. “I’ll read this to you, and you can repeat after me.”
“Okay.” Cesar’s sudden attentiveness made me smile. I’d chosen “The Ugly Duckling,” its charming illustrations making it a perfect choice for him. Clearing my throat, I opened the book. “Once upon a time, there was a pair of very loving ducks who lived by a pond.”
“Once upon a time?”
“It means a very long time ago.” As long ago as when Tieghrosh rampaged. Anyway, back to the story. “Their love blossomed into several eggs. One of them was particularly large and ugly, worrying the couple, but they thought it was just a bigger egg and kept it warm.”
“Egg?”
“Yes, their love blossomed into an egg.”
“Love blossomed….”
